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a priest of a particular class (as distinguished from the होतृ (hotṛ), the उद्गातृ (udgātṛ), and the ब्रह्मन् (brahman) classes. The adhvaryu priests "had to measure the ground, to build the altar, to prepare the sacrificial vessels, to fetch wood and water, to light the fire, to bring the animal and immolate it"; whilst engaged in these duties, they had to repeat the hymns of the Yajurveda, hence that veda itself is also called adhvaryu)